A look at museums in Croatia. Did you know Zagreb has more museums per capita than anywhere, or that Croatia has its own Museum Night?
- Introduction to Museums in Croatia
- Museums in Croatia Exporting to the World
- 10 Most Popular Museums in Croatia (Visitors)
- 10 Most Reviewed Museums in Croatia (TripAdvisor)
- Museum Night
- Museums in Istria
- Museums on the Coast (Northern Adriatic)
- Museums in Dubrovnik
- Museums in Zagreb
- Museums in Slavonia
- Museums in Northern Croatia
- Museums in Karlovac – Sisak
- Museums in Lika
Introduction to Museums in Croatia
More people visited Croatia’s museums in 2017 than live in the country. According to the Ministry of Culture, some 4,662,111 people visited the 160 officially recognised museums in Croatia. There are actually more museums than this, but this is the official number in the official Museum Registry.
Croatia’s distinguished museum history dates back to the 16th century and the first private collections. These were initially mostly centred on the coast, moving inland later.
The first Lapidarium was created in Split in 1510, and it was followed by exhibitions of old coins and natural rarities. In 1750, a small archaeological museum opened in a private house in Zadar, before which a small private museum was constructed before burning down in 1706.
The Archaeological Museum in Split opened in 1818, and it is regarded as the first proper museum in Croatia. The People’s Museum in Zagreb was established by the parliament in 1836, but the authorities in Vienna only approved the decision 30 years later.
In 1834, first excavations began in Solin, which marked the beginning of systematic collection and protection of cultural monuments in Croatia.
Croatia’s museum has grown considerably, from commemorating the tragedy of war and the country’s rich heritage and history, to the more bizarre cultural offerings. Among my favourites is Froggyland in Split, a collection of stuffed frogs from a century ago in human life situations. And of course, the two stars of the modern Croatian museum scene – the Museums of Broken Relationships and Illusions.
Learn more about some of the unique museums in Croatia.
The situation took a nasty turn for the Croatian museums as well in 2020, but most of them have survived and will wait for us once we’re again allowed to go out to places like that. Even during the lockdown, the museums are open for a much smaller number of visitors, so there’s no excuse for anyone!
Museums in Croatia Exporting to the World
Two of Croatia’s most successful and unique museum concepts are starting to go global.
Is it time you took out a franchise for the Museum of Illusions where you are?
And if you are in the market for one Croatian museum franchise, why not another? The Zagreb museum which has attracted the most column inches since it opened, the Museum of Broken Relationships, is also going international, opening its first international franchise in Los Angeles in 2016.
10 Most Popular Museums in Croatia (Visitors)
Which are the most popular museums in Croatia in terms of visitors? Official statistics for 2017 has the top ten (the list has not changed much since!):
1. Archaeological Museum of Istria (including Pula Arena), Pula
2. Split Town a Museum (including Palace Basements), Split
3. Klovićevi Dvori Gallery, Zagreb
4. Dubrovnik Museums, Dubrovnik
5. Nikola Tesla Technical Museum, Zagreb
6. Archaeological Museum, Zadar
7. Vučedol Culture Museum, Vukovar
8. Vukovar Hospital 1991 Memorial Site, Vukovar
9. History and Maritime Museum of Istria, Pula
10. Museum of the Krapina Neanderthal, Krapina
Interestingly, with two in Vukovar and one in Krapina, it shows that people will travel away from the top hot spots.
10 Most Reviewed Museums in Croatia (TripAdvisor)
1. Istrian De Dignan – Ecomuseum, Vodnjan
2. Gornji Ugao Tower, Dubrovnik
3. War Photo Limited, Dubrobnik
5. Apoxyomenos Museum, Mali Lošinj
7. Trakošćan Castle, Trakošćan
8. Museum of the Krapina Neanderthal, Krapina
9. Peek & Poke Computer Museum, Rijeka
10. Image of War – Photography Museum, Zagreb
Museum Night
A very nice cultural tradition has taken place each year in the winter in Croatia since 2005 – Museum night. Museums in Croatia open their doors with special exhibitions on the same night, and entrance is free. First organised with just six museums in Zagreb, the event has been wildly popular, and more than 200 museums all over the country have been participating for the last several years. Even during the 2021 Museum night, events took place, mostly online but some in person. Find out more about this amazing event on the official website.
Here is a list of museums in Croatia, arranged by region. If there is a museum missing, please email [email protected] and we will add it.
Museums in Istria
Istria Archaeological Museum (including the Pula Arena), Pula
Historical and Maritime Museum of Istria, Pula
Ethnographic Museum of Istria, Pula
“Kuća o Batani” Eco-Museum, Rovinj
Novigrad Museum, Novigrad
Istrian De Dignan – Ecomuseum, Vodnjan
Museums on the Coast (Northern Adriatic)
Museum of Natural History, Rijeka
Museum of Modern and Contemporary Arts, Rijeka
Maritime and Historical Museum of Croatian Littoral, Rijeka
Peek & Poke Computer Museum, Rijeka
Croatian Tourism Museum, Opatija
People’s Museum, Novi Vinodolski
Crikvenica Town Museum, Crikvenica
Apoxyomenos Museum, Mali Lošinj
Museums in Dalmatia
Croatian Maritime Museum, Split
Museum of Croatian Archaeological Monuments, Split
Museum of Natural History and Zoo, Split
Museum of Ancient Glass, Zadar
Permanent Exhibition of Sacral Art, Zadar
Narona Archaeological Museum, Vid
Museum to The Island of Brač, Škrip
Museum of Natural History, Metković
Biograd Regional Museum, Biograd
Kaštela Town Museum, Kaštel Lukšić
Betina Museum of Wood Shipbuilding, Betina
Imotski Regional Museum, Imotski
Ivan Meštrović Museum, Otavice
Antun Gojak Town Gallery, Makarska
Museum of The Cetina’s Krajina Region, Sinj
Branislav Dešković Gallery, Bol
Obrovac Regional Museum, Obrovac
Stojan Janković Castle, Islam Grčki
Museums in Dubrovnik
Archaeological Museum, Dubrovnik
Cultural-History Museum, Dubrovnik
Ethnographic Museum, Dubrovnik
Museum of Homeland War, Dubrovnik
Museum of Natural History, Dubrovnik
Love Stories Museum, Dubrovnik
Baltazar Bogišić HAZU Collection, Cavtat
Konavle Regional Museum, Čilipi
Museum of Archaeology and Monument Heritage, Pridvorje
Museums in Zagreb
Nikola Tesla Technical Museum, Zagreb
Museum of Broken Relationships
Dražen Petrović Museum and Memorial Centre
Croatian Museum of Natural History
HAZU Sculpure Museum (Gliptoteka)
Strossmayer Gallery of Old Masters
Marija Jurić Zagorka Memorial Apartment
Jozo Kljaković Memorial Collection
PBZ Bank Museum
Image of War – Photography Museum
Andautonia Archaeological Park Zagreb
Turopolje Museum, Velika Gorica
Matija Skurjeni Museum, Zaprešić
Museums in Slavonia
Vučedol Culture Museum, Vukovar
Vukovar Hospital 1991 Memorial Site, Vukovar
Brod-Posavina Museum, Slavonski Brod
Vinkovci Town Museum, Vinkovci
Valpovo Regional Museum, Valpovo
Našice Regional Museum, Našice
Đakovo Regional Museum, Đakovo
Bishop Josip Juraj Strossmayer Museum, Đakovo
Virovitica Town Museum, Virovitica
Slatina Regional Museum, Slatina
Nova Gradiška Town Museum, Nova Gradiška
Stjepan Gruber Regional Museum, Županja
Ivan Metrošvić Memorial Gallery, Vrpolje
Ethnographic Collection of Rusyns and Ukrainians in Croatia, Petrovci
Stari Slatinik Regional Collection
Museums in Northern Croatia
Museum of the Krapina Neanderthal, Krapina
Varaždin Town Museum, Varaždin
Varaždinske Toplice Regional Museum
“Old Village” Museum, Kumrovec
Veliki Tabor Castle, Veliki Tabor
Museum of Peasants’ Uprisings, Donja Stubica
Koprivnica Town Museum, Koprivnica
Đurđevac Town Museum, Đurđevac
Međimurje County Museum, Čakovec
Bjelovar Town Museum, Bjelovar
Podravka Food Museum, Koprivnica
Antun Augustinčić Gallery, Klanjec
Križevci Town Museum, Križevci
Sveti Ivan Zelina Museum, Sveti Ivan Zelina
Josip Generalić Gallery, Hlebine
Petar Preradović Birthplace, Pitomača
Museums in Lika
Nikola Tesla Memorial Centre, Smiljan
Museums in Karlovac-Sisak Area
Karlovac Town Museum, Karlovac
Jasenovac Memorial Area, Jasenovac
Ogulin Regional Museum, Ogulin
Krsto Hegedušić Gallery, Petrinja
For the latest news from the world of museums in Croatia, follow the TCN dedicated page.
